THE MORAL IMPERATIVE OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP – MICHAEL FULLAN CHAPTER ONE SUMMARY – CHANGING THE CONTEXT
Introduction
üThe leader’s job is to help change context – to introduce new elements into the situation that are bound to influence behaviour for the better üBasic point – CHANGE THE CONTEXT, AND YOU CHANGE BEHAVIOUR üMalcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point) opower of context is an environmental argument obehaviour is a function of social context opresents message that it is not the heroic actions that count, but that it is the little things ochange the situation and you have a chance to change people’s behaviour in the short run as well as beyond othe leader’s job description is to help change immediate context ükey to change is new experiences üpeople rarely change through a rational process of “analyze-think-change”; more likely to change through a “see-feel-change” process
The Public Schools We Need
ümoral purpose is always at the heart of the matter übest case for public education has always been that it is a common good üquality of the public education system relates directly to the quality of life that people enjoy, with a strong public education system as the cornerstone of a civil, prosperous and democratic society üpublicly funded schools must serve all children üboth academic achievement and personal and social development are core purposes pf the public school system ühigh quality public school system is essential, not only for parents who send their children to these school but also for the public good as a whole
The Principals and Teachers We Need/Level 5 Leadership
ücannot produce and sustain a vital public school system without a dedicated, highly competent teaching force, working together for the continuous betterment of the schools ücannot get teachers working like this without leaders at all levels guiding and supporting the process; the principal is pivotal in this equation üfailure to generate passion, purpose and energy – intrinsic motivation – is a sure-fire indicator that the strategy will fail sooner rather than later ü4 quadrants ouninformed professional judgment (knowledge-poor professional judgment) ouninformed prescription (knowledge-poor external prescription) oinformed prescription (knowledge-rich external prescription) oinformed professional judgment (knowledge-rich professional judgment) üJim Collins “Good to Great” o6 core factors organized into 3 themes
Level 5 Leadership
First Who Then What
Confront the Brutal Facts
Hedgehog Concept
Culture of Discipline
Technology Accelerates
Disciplined People
Disciplined Thought
Disciplined Action
ogood to great leaders: self-effacing, quiet, reserved, shy – a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will ofirst get the right people ON the bus, the wrong people OFF the bus, then the right people in the right seats – and then they figured out where to drive it oto paraphrase “the RIGHT people are your most important asset” o5 level hierarchy – see many level 1-3 leaders and even some 4’s but these leaders are good, not great; they do not help change the system; only level 5 leaders build enduring greatness
CHAPTER ONE SUMMARY – CHANGING THE CONTEXT
Introduction
üThe leader’s job is to help change context – to introduce new elements into the situation that are bound to influence behaviour for the better
üBasic point – CHANGE THE CONTEXT, AND YOU CHANGE BEHAVIOUR
üMalcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point)
opower of context is an environmental argument
obehaviour is a function of social context
opresents message that it is not the heroic actions that count, but that it is the little things
ochange the situation and you have a chance to change people’s behaviour in the short run as well as beyond
othe leader’s job description is to help change immediate context
ükey to change is new experiences
üpeople rarely change through a rational process of “analyze-think-change”; more likely to change through a “see-feel-change” process
The Public Schools We Need
ümoral purpose is always at the heart of the matter
übest case for public education has always been that it is a common good
üquality of the public education system relates directly to the quality of life that people enjoy, with a strong public education system as the cornerstone of a civil, prosperous and democratic society
üpublicly funded schools must serve all children
üboth academic achievement and personal and social development are core purposes pf the public school system
ühigh quality public school system is essential, not only for parents who send their children to these school but also for the public good as a whole
The Principals and Teachers We Need/Level 5 Leadership
ücannot produce and sustain a vital public school system without a dedicated, highly competent teaching force, working together for the continuous betterment of the schools
ücannot get teachers working like this without leaders at all levels guiding and supporting the process; the principal is pivotal in this equation
üfailure to generate passion, purpose and energy – intrinsic motivation – is a sure-fire indicator that the strategy will fail sooner rather than later
ü4 quadrants
ouninformed professional judgment (knowledge-poor professional judgment)
ouninformed prescription (knowledge-poor external prescription)
oinformed prescription (knowledge-rich external prescription)
oinformed professional judgment (knowledge-rich professional judgment)
üJim Collins “Good to Great”
o6 core factors organized into 3 themes
Then What
ogood to great leaders: self-effacing, quiet, reserved, shy – a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will
ofirst get the right people ON the bus, the wrong people OFF the bus, then the right people in the right seats – and then they figured out where to drive it
oto paraphrase “the RIGHT people are your most important asset”
o5 level hierarchy – see many level 1-3 leaders and even some 4’s but these leaders are good, not great; they do not help change the system; only level 5 leaders build enduring greatness